Aim: the aim of the present investigation was to study the effect of mesenchymal bone marrow
stem cells (BMSCs) on the histological structure of the dental pulp of rats with Streptozotocininduced
diabetes mellitus using hematoxylin & eosin and Masson's trichrome stains. Furthermore,
the apoptotic activity of dental pulp cells was detected through Caspase-9 localization.
Material and Methods: Thirty, three- month old, adult male albino rats, 180-200 gram weight
were used in this investigation. They were divided into three groups. Group I: 10 animals served
as controls. Group II: 10 animals subjected to a single intraperitoneal injection of Streptozotocin
in a dose of 60 mg/kg body weight for induction of diabetes mellitus that was verified by detecting
hyperglycaemia (200mg/dl or more) in a blood sample. Group III: 10 animals treated the same
as those of group II and one week later these animals were intravenously injected with BMSCs.
At the end of the experiment which lasted for two months, the animals of the different groups
were euthanized. Their jaws were dissected, decalcified and processed for hematoxylin and eosin,
Masson's trichrome stains and immunohistochemical stain for caspase-9 to study the dental pulp
of the experimental rats.
Results: The present work revealed that the treatment of diabetic rats with single intravenous
injection of bone marrow stem cells resulted in amelioration of the degenerative and apoptotic
.effect of diabetes on the pulpal tissues
Conclusion: Induction of diabetes in albino rats has degenerative effect on pulpal tissues
accompanied by increased expression of caspase-9 (apoptotic marker). Intravenous injection
of BMSCs resulted in regeneration of pulp tissues and decreased apoptosis as detected by low
caspase-9 expression.